Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-02-17
THgASTOR LIBRARY.


Interesting Information as TO the Use Which
Is Made Of Its Treasures.
NV York Herald.
The thirty-eighth annual report OF the
Aston library for the year ending Dec 81,
1856, presents variety of interesting
aud valuable statistical information, the
principal features of which are briefly
summarized as follows:
There were expended for books aud
binding during the year the sum OF $1I,
89l e. The fund for the library's main
tenance is $4l4,550, while the endowment
funds amounts 60 81 ,422,554 ii. It's in
come was $22,7l1 II, showing diminu-
ton of $l,565 49, due to lower rates Of
interest. The insurance remains the
same-viz.; On books 100000; on build
ing, 100000. The additions, by pur-
chase and donation, amount to 1859 vol
umes, exclusive of pamphlets. The total
number of volumes in the library on the
3lst of December last, pamphlets except
ed, was 225,179. The trustees state that
the cardinal idea of its being strictly a
library OF reference has been rigidly
maintained. The first volume of the cat
alogue in continuation of DIR. Cogswells
was printed in April 1886, and forms a
bulky volume of lis pages, ending
with and including the letter 81" Dur
ing the year 1886 tho readers we're Co.
884. These figures include alcove read
srs, who were 9,459. This is a greater
showing than that of any year since the
opening of the library, except 1885. The
most remarkable accession was fine
copy of Ptolemy's Cosmography, edition
in 1883, bound in green morocco, the gift
of Mr.. Aston
A comparison OF the figures exhibited
by the table showing the number of
readers and books read" will prove inter
esting. From this table it appears that
English literature leads the list in popu-
larity, with 1928 readers, ard the work
upon other subjects follow in this order:
American history, II sos; American, liter
allure, 1O,4l5 French literature, 1929;
fine arts, 6,9ii; general science. 5,50l;
British history, $3.50; medicine and sur
gerry. 5,242; classical literature, 4,4S0;
philology aud hnguistics, t,520; encyclo-
pedias, 1865; heraldry and genealoPy,
1926; French history, 3,s7s; m echanics
and engineering, 1855; German literature
3,O22. The studies which exhibit the
smallest number of admirers are Portu-
gese history, 3; Netheraud lite nature,
IA; voyages and travels, West Indies
and Central America, 80; Portuguese liter
ature 81; photography theology, "a;
ethics, as; ethnology,17; conchology, ".
A more popular library, or rather an in
stitution open both day and evening
would doubtless make a vide difference
in many OF these figures, Certainly her
aldry and tbs fine arts generally not to
speak Of English literature, would be
greatly reduced from the statistics here
presented,
The most popular studies of the 9,455
alcove readers seem to have been the
figures showing the number of readers
theology, $40; arts, 500; English litera-
ture, 412; American literature, 242; pnd
general science, POS. Throughout the
list about the same ratio rs that given in
the preceding synopsis is shows. An
evidence of the interest which the visi-
tors to the library take in invention is
shown by the fact that no less than 1851
of the aicoye readers selected books
treating on patents.